Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Florida teacher tells black student that Trump will send her 'back to Africa'

A Wesley Chapel High teacher has been placed on leave after a parent took to Facebook to share his daughter's concern over racist remarks.

According to the post, Donnie Jones Jr.'s daughter was walking down the hallway with her friends during a break in the school day when golf coach and teacher John Sousa threatened the pupils by saying, "Don't make me call Donald Trump to get you sent back to Africa."

Pasco School District director of communications Lisa Cobb said in a statement that punishment could range from pay with leave to termination.

"Pasco County Schools takes this alleged behavior very seriously and we will not tolerate it," Cobbe said. "We are following our investigative procedures and will take appropriate action."

Jones Jr. shared on his Facebook that he later called Sousa, who admitted the remark but called it an "off the wall comment" that was not "meant to be racist," echoing President-elect Donald Trump's backtracking from his own controversial statements.

The incident mirrors similar occurrences in Jacksonville, where an investigation is underway involving "whites only" and "colored" signs that were hung above two water fountains at a school, as well as racist graffiti sprayed on a bathroom wall at Oviedo High.